Adlertag
Sign in to saveAdlertag ("Eagle Day") was the first day of Unternehmen Adlerangriff ("Operation Eagle Attack"), an operation by Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe (air force) intended to destroy the British Royal Air Force (RAF). The operation came during the Battle of Britain after Britain rejected all overtures for a negotiated peace with Germany. However, Adlertag and subsequent operations failed to destroy the RAF or gain local air superiority.
Key facts
- Military conflict.conflict
- Adlertag
- Military conflict.partof
- the Western Front of World War II
- Military conflict.image
- British and German aircraft a dog fight.jpg
- Military conflict.image_size
- 300px
- Military conflict.alt
- A picture of a piece of sky with several clouds and many condensation trails caused by many aircraft. Each trail curves around the other indicated an air battle
- Military conflict.caption
- An air battle, 1940
- Military conflict.date
- 13 August 1940
- Military conflict.place
- England and English Channel
- Military conflict.result
- British victory
- Military conflict.commander1
- Hugh DowdingKeith ParkCharles Portal
- Military conflict.commander2
- Hermann GöringAlbert KesselringHugo SperrleJoseph Schmid
- Military conflict.casualties1
- Fighter Command: 13 fighters (air)1 fighter (ground)3 fighter pilots killedRAF Bomber Command:11 bombers (air)24 aircrew killed9 capturedOther:47 miscellaneous aircraft (ground)c. 25 civilians killed
- Military conflict.casualties2
- 47–48 aircraft destroyed (air)39 severely damagedcirca 200 killed or captured including:44 killed 23 wounded at least 45 missing
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
22 sectionsContents
- Background
- Strategic overview
- Background: early battles
- ''Luftwaffe'' preparations
- Intelligence
- Targets and order of battle
- RAF operational command
- Battle
- KG 2 raid
- Coastal airfields and ports
- Renewed attacks
- Ju 87 operations
- South East raids
- Night raids
- Aftermath
- Effect of raids
- Overclaiming
- Battle of Britain
- Notes
- References
- Citations
- Bibliography
Adlertag ("Eagle Day") was the first day of Unternehmen Adlerangriff ("Operation Eagle Attack"), an operation by Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe (air force) intended to destroy the British Royal Air Force (RAF). The operation came during the Battle of Britain after Britain rejected all overtures for a negotiated peace with Germany. However, Adlertag and subsequent operations failed to destroy the RAF or gain local air superiority.
On 16 July 1940 Hitler gave the German armed forces (Wehrmacht) Directive No. 16 ordering provisional preparations for the invasion of Britain. This operation was codenamed Operation Sea Lion (Unternehmen Seelöwe). Before this could be carried out, air superiority or air supremacy was required. The Luftwaffe was to destroy the RAF in order to prevent it from attacking the invasion fleet or providing protection for the Royal Navy's Home Fleet, which might attempt to prevent a landing by sea. On 1 August Hitler gave the Luftwaffes commander-in-chief, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring and the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe Directive No. 17 ("for the conduct of air and sea warfare against England") to launch the air assault.